Ceiling construction



April 24, 1962 J, w. R. DRACKETT CEILING CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 27. 1960 INVENTOR BY Aim,

9%, ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,d3l,lid2 Patented Apr. 24, 1962 3,031,042 CEILING CONSTRUCTION Jack William Robert Draclrett, 4841 NE. 13th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Filed Oct. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 65,492 3 Claims. (Cl. 189-3 4) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in ceiling constructions and more particularly to that type of construction known as a suspended ceiling.

In various building structures, the ceiling is formed of material other than that which forms the walls and floor and is suspendedly supported as from the truss elements of the roof. Often, the suspended ceiling comprises a plurality of modular elements, as in the manner of tiles which make up a floor or wall, held together either by interlocking action or by placement within the openings of a grid structure.

Many advantages are to be derived from the use of a suspended ceiling, as is well known to those in the building arts. For example, the composition of the ceiling may be readily changed, either entirely or by individual modular units. Another advantage is the facility of inserting electrical and telephone cables, fireproofing or other insulating material above the suspended ceiling, between it and its overhead supporting structure. Still another advantage resides in the easy removal of the panel elements forming the ceiling for access to the overhead supporting structure.

In those tyes of suspended ceilings composed of modular units individually carried by a grid structure, the grid has been often formed by a first set of parallel runners, girders or the like joined to a second set of parallel runners. Frequently, the two sets of runners are coplanar by virtue of the joints between the individual runner elements. The openings, generally in the form of polygons, are usually square, defined and bounded by the runners, and receive the modular units, the latter being of the same shape as the polygons of the grid structure.

According to prior practice, the joints between the individual runner elements in such suspended ceiling constructions have often been secured together by some auxiliary element such as a sheet metal or wire clip. Often, those slips are fastened to the runners during the field or in situ construction of the ceiling and hence any carelessness by a worker in the fastening operation can result in an imperfect ceiling. Furthermore, no matter how simple such clips may be, some modicum of skill is required for their use. Additionally, they represent yet another item required for the erection of a structure, and therefore add substantially to the expense of the ceiling.

By virtue of the present invention, these and other disadvantages of prior suspended ceiling constructions are overcome. According to the invention, a strong and rigid ceiling grid is formed without the use of any clips or the like for the individual joints between the runners, and each runner is continuous and can span the entire length or width of the ceiling.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel suspended ceiling construction of modular type which is simple in structure, but which possess strength and rigidity without necessitating the use of clips, fasteners or the like to secure together the runner elements which form the ceiling grid.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel suspended ceiling construction of modular type wherein the individual runners which form the ceiling grid are continuous throughout the length or width of the ceilmg.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a suspended ceiling construction of modular type wherein a ceiling grid is formed of two intersecting, coplanar sets of runners and one of the sets is supported by the other set.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of two runner elements of the suspended ceiling grid of this invention prior to their connection to form a joint.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, the runner elements having been brought together to form a coplanar joint.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective of a portion of a suspended ceiling construction according to the invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawing, the numeral 1i) denotes a T-shaped runner element having a web 12. whose free edge may include a head 14 running longitudinally thereof. The runner it) includes a flange i6 integral with web 14 and extending on each side laterally therefrom an equal distance from the web. A slot 13 extends from the bead l4 downwardly into the web approximately half the width thereof. The sides of the slot are parallel and at right angles to the plane of the flange 16. Apertures 2t and 22, whose function will be later described, are provided one on each side of slot 18 and extend completely through the web 12.

The numeral 30 denotes another runner of T-shaped cross-section preferably of the same size and proportions as runner 10, the former having a web 32, head 34 and flange 36. A gap 33 in flange 36 is defined by spaced and parallel edges iii and 42. The width of gap 38 is slightly greater than the width of flange 16 of the lower runner it), and forms a close fit therewith in the manner shown (FIGURE 2).

Midway of gap 38 a slot extends from the lower rim of web 32 upwardly approximately half the width of the web.

Turning now to FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the runners 10 and 3d are shown joined, the slots 18 and 4d interfitting and the gap 38 filled by the flange T6 of runner 10, the lower edge of the Web 32 in the gap 38 resting on the upper surfaces of flange 16. Since the corresponding elements of the runners 1d and 3t), i.e., the beads and the flanges, are in the same plane, the joint of FIGURE 2 may be said to be coplanar. The numeral 46 denotes a strand such as wire or cable for supporting the runner 10 from some overhead structure such as a roof truss. By means of filaments passing through apertures 29 and 22 the strand 46 can support each runner it which in turn supports each runner 30'.

The numeral 48 denotes a panel shown partly in dashed lines of glass, fiberboard, or any other desired ceiling material. The periphery of the panel is supported by the flanges 16 and 36 of runners lit) and 39 respectively.

FIGURE 3 of the drawings shows a portion of a suspended ceiling constructed according to the invention, the numeral 5i) denoting L. members secured to opposite walls of an enclosure. The runners 30, only one of which is illustrated, are disposed parallel to one another, as are the two shown runners llli. The flange 16 adjacent the end of each runner lid is absent, the lower rim 52 of web 12 resting on the horizontal leg of each L 50. By such a construction, the flanges 16 and 36 of runners 10 and 3t) are in the same plane as the horizontal leg of each L 5% thereby providing coplanar support for the outermost modular panels 48.

It is not necessary, however, that the runners 10' be supported both along their lengths (by strands 4-6) and at their ends (by L members 50). Either one type of support or both may be employed.

In practice, each of the runners 10' and 30 is provided with their various slots and apertures before field assembly of the ceiling preferably by cutting rather than by casting, since T runners are readily available on the market. The runners are supported and the runners 30 lowered down onto them. Because each runner 10 and 30 is continuous, the openings which receive the panel members 48 are uniform after field erection, their uniformity being assured by proper spacing of the slots 18 and 44 and gaps 3 8. The panels 48 may be placed on the grid either from above or from below. In the latter, the runners 30 may be successively lifted and rotated about their longitudinal axes, the panels 48 being placed in position, and then the runners 30 being replaced.

It is apparent from the above description that the present invention provides a suspended ceiling construction which is simple, strong and rigid. It provides a grid structure with intersecting runner elements which achieves its strength and rigidity without the need for separate clips or fasteners previously required to maintain such intersecting runner elements in interlocking relation. In the construction of this invention means which are integral with the runner elements provide for support of one set of runner elements from the other and for a rigid interlocking relationship.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A ceiling construction comprising a first set of inverted, continuous T section runners, a second set of inverted, continuous T section runners crossing the runners of the first set to define a plurality of openings, said runners at the crossing point having complementary interlocking cut-outs so contoured that the flanges of the runners of both sets lie in the same plane with runners of one set straddling runners of the other set, and means to support said runners, the webs of said runners being substantiallly free of obstructions, whereby panels may be made a close fit in the openings and yet be removable by pushing up from below.

2. A ceiling construction comprising a first set of inverted continuous mutually parallel T section runners, a second set of inverted, continuous T section runners mutually parallel but crossing the runners of the first set to define a plurality of openings, said runners at the crossing points having complementary, interlocking cutouts so contoured that the T flanges of the runners of both sets lie in the same plane with runners of one set straddling runners of the other set, and means to support said runners, the Webs of said runners being substantially free of obstructions, whereby panels may be made a closce fit in the openings and yet be removable by pushing up from below.

3. A ceiling construction comprising a first set of inverted continuous mutually parallel T section runners, a second set of inverted, continuous T section runners parallel to each other but crossing the runners of the first set to define a plurality of openings having corners, said runners at the crossing points having complementary interlocking cut-outs so contoured that the flanges of the runners of both sets lie in the same plane with runners of one set straddling runners of the other set, and means to support one of said sets of runners from its ends, the webs of said runners being substantially free of obstructions, whereby panels may be made a close fit in the openings and yet be removed by pushing up from below.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,041,051 Dallas May 19, 1936 2,873,828 Zitomer Feb. 17, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 958,859 France Sept. 19, 1949 

